The Comedy of Errors

The Comedy of Errors

Cast: Brendan O'Connor, Simon Mallory, Terri Brabon, Ross Williams, Kevin Hopkins, Hugh Sexton, Josephine Bloom, Syd Brisbane, Tony Rive, Simon Mallory, Chloe Connolly, Phil Lambert, Doru Surcel, Lisa Angove, Sally McLean
Director: Glenn Elston
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Shakespeare
Synopsis: Pack a picnic and join the Australian Shakespeare Company for a hilarious summer season of Shakespeare Under the Stars The Australian Shakespeare Company returns to the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne performing Shakespeare's funniest play, The Comedy of Errors, an enthralling farce of mayhem and mistaken identity. A joyful journey of chaos and confusion, The Comedy of Errors follows two sets of identical twins, separated at birth, that end up in the same town. Combining just the right balance of pathos and the ridiculous, Shakespeare starts his characters apart before bringing them together in the course of one hysterical day.

This fast paced comedy takes you on a rollercoaster of mistaken identity leading to seduction, arrest, infidelity, beatings, theft and general all round madness, and ends (of course) in resolving and reuniting all concerned.

Director Glenn Elston places his inspired comic touch on this production, drawing on commedia dell'arte style combined with the surreal and absurd to life Shakespeare's hilarious text into a new comedy orbit. Against the brilliantly creative black and white pop culture cartoon set by Greg Carroll comes a broad range of vivid coloured costumes by Alicia Fernandez to adorn the actors and define their characters. But not one semblance of a naturalistic cut - rather an inspired fusion of Elizabethan style and haute couture, finished off with extraordinary latex half-masks created for the show by Ross Brown.

Laugh until it hurts as the Australian Shakespeare Company tackles Shakespeare's hilarity, puns, word play and slapstick head-on. The astounding cast, including Brendan O'Connor, Simon Mallory, Terri Brabon, Ross Williams, Kevin Hopkins, Hugh Sexton, Josephine Bloom, Syd Brisbane, Tony Rive, Simon Mallory, Chloe Connolly, Phil Lambert, Doru Surcel, Lisa Angove and Sally McLean, breathe new life into this much loved text.

The spectacular outdoor setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens, complemented by director Glenn Elston's playful approach to theatre makes this unique and critically acclaimed production a summer theatre must see.

Verdict: Comedy of Errors is an exciting, funny and vibrant play that due to it's fast nature and colourful cartoon comedy is a perfect performance for an all ages audience.

The stage set has an upstairs and a downstairs area allowing the location to be easily identified by audiences. The amazing set is complemented by the beautiful setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens; butterflies and nature surrounds you as you laugh at the Comedy of Errors.

The basic storyline and humorous costumes of mops as shoes, large noses and hilarious stick-on-ears will be appealing for kids and adults. The cast not only excel in the delivery of their dialogue they playfully entertain and add to their character with skills such as stilt walking, acrobatics, ballet, rollerblades and much, much more!

It is important to head to the Royal Botanic Gardens early to get a spot to lie down your picnic rug and begin sipping champagne and snacking on dips and celery sticks. If you'd prefer to sit on chair, bring along your deck chair and sit behind those on their picnic rugs to enjoy the show.

Don't forget the bug spray!
-Brooke Hunter

The Comedy of Errors Performance Details
Dates: 28 December 2010 to 12 March 2011
Times: Dec/Jan: Tuesday to Sunday at 8pm Feb/Mar: Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm and Valentine's Day Monday 14 February at 8pm No shows 25 & 26 December and 1 & 26 January
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter via the Observatory Gate on Birdwood Avenue, opposite the Shrine of Remembrance
Bookings: 1300 122 344, online at www.ShakespeareAustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster 136 100. Cash sales available at the on-site box office from 2 hours prior to the performance.

Shakespeare Australia are also presenting The Wind in the Willows.

The Wind in the Willows Performance Details
Dates: Tuesday to Saturday - 28 December 2010 to 29 January 2011(no performances on 1and 26 January)
Times: 11am and 6pm
Location: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Enter through Gate F, Birdwood Avenue then follow the signs to the performance area
Prices: All tickets $25, family ticket (4 people) $90, booking fee may apply.
Bookings: 1300 122 344, online at www.ShakespeareAustralia.com.au or Ticketmaster 136 100. Cash sales are available at the on-site box office, box office opens one hour prior toeach performance..